The Invisible child
by Marvel-comic-girl
Summary: All her life Maisie had been walking through the dark. Sometimes people pushed her, sometimes she fell, and sometimes she had to crawl. She had been in the foster system all of her life and no one would help her get back up but suddenly she runs into the Foster family. Who knew that this dysfunctional family would help her back up.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys so this is my first Fosters story so I really hope you enjoy it. I do not own any of the characters except for Maisie.**

* * *

I looked across to the driver seat to where Bill was seating. I had only met him two hours ago and I hope he is a better social worker than Sonya was.

"Maisie I need you to behave nicely, okay? and if anyone asks about the bruises you say nothing, okay"

I nodded my head, I knew how the system worked.

I would be removed from my old foster home and under any circumstances I was not to talk about what happened in that house, no matter how bad it was.

I already knew that Bill thought bad of me, just one look at my file and you would too.

_Disrespectful _

_Uncooperative _

_Violent _

_Bad attitude _

_Aggressive _

_Dishonest_

_Does not listen _

_Does not work well with others_

and the list went on. The fact that some of the old foster parents made up fake stories to cover their butts made me look like a terrible person.

There was one thing missing in my folder though and that was my past.

The day they were transferring a part of my file back to my original social worker Travis the building it was in caught on fire.

So it was like I never existed before I came into foster care.

They tried to pry the information out of me but there was one thing that they taught me that I would keep with me forever.

Whatever happens at a house stays at that house and you tell no one about it.

Sonya had told me this all the time because lets face it, she was horrible at picking me a good place to live.

So every time she picked me up from the foster house she gave me that little speech, she was just like everyone else though.

Only looking out for herself and she knew the moment I told what went on in those house she would get fired.

It didn't matter though because she got fired anyway.

We finally parked in front of a nice looking house but I stay sitting.

Bill turns around and gives me a look. "Let's go now Maisie."

Reluctantly I get out of the car and close the door.

As we walk up to the front door I can't help but wonder why we are here of all places.

This house looked so nice and I looked not so nice.

My hair was in a tangled mess of curls and on the side of my forehead was a huge bandage covering the wound I received from my last foster home. It didn't hide the damage though, next to my cheek was a blueish- purple bruise forming. My front shirt was covered in blood from the nosebleed I was having earlier, the bruises under my clothes were a different story.

Bill knocked on the door and a boy a little bit older than me answered it.

"Hey Jude, are your moms home?"

The boy, Jude I presumed, nodded and said "Yes, You want to come in?"

Bill nods and Jude lets us in.

The inside of the house made me even feel smaller, it was big and just so beautiful. I had never been in a house like this one before.

"Jude can you go upstairs so I can talk to your parents in private."

Jude walks away and Bill turns to me.

"Okay I need to talk to some people first so you go outside into the backyard."

I followed his demand and went outside into the yard.

A tree had a makeshift swing on it, so facing my body away from the window I began to swing on it.

*INSIDE HOUSE

"Maisie is a really sweet girl and I just need a couple of days to find a more permanent place for her to stay."

Lena and Stef shared a look making Bill shift his feet nervously.

Stef sighed, "Bill we have a lot on our plate right now. Robert is refusing to sign the papers so that Callie can get adopted and I don't think this is going to make matters any better."

Lena added "and we don't even have enough room for her to stay."

Bill pulled out Maisie file and showed it to them.

"Please you are really this girls last hope, after this i'll have to send her to a group home."

The pair stayed silent and Bill pleaded one last time "Just meet the girl before you make your final decision, please."

The two women had never seen Bill so desperate. Lena turned toward the window where you could see a young girl with long hair swinging back and forth.

Stef finally nodded saying "Okay."

*BACK OUTSIDE

"Maisie will you please come inside."

I jumped off the swing and made my way toward two women and Bill.

Both women gasped, "Are you okay?"

The blonde women tried to touch me and I scooted back in fright. Bill pushed me forward and I looked at him waiting for him to answer the blonde woman's question.

"She is fine Stef, she just got into a little accident in her last foster home."

The other woman narrowed her eyes at Bill "Then why is there so much blood on her shirt?!"

Finally I spoke up "It was my fault I fell and my nose started to bleed."

The room was silent until Bill said "Why don't you introduced yourself to Stef and Lena."

I looked down at my shoes, "My name is Maisie and I am 9 years old."

The Blonde lady smiled "Well Maisie I am Stef and this is my wife Lena. It is nice to meet you."

Bill said "Okay guys I need your answer now."

Lena and Stef shared a glance,it was almost like they were having there own conversation in their heads, and Lena finally said "Okay but only for a couple days."

Bill nodded "Okay I guess I'll be on my way then, be good Maisie."

I blinked, _Wait?What!_

"You're leaving me here?!"

I looked at him in shock, we had only met 2 hours ago and he was already dumping me somewhere.

_Rule #1 you are always going to be disposable. _

Did he know what kind of people they were?! Did he even care?!

"Maisie you are goin-"

"I barely even meet you and you're dumping me to the first place you find."

"Ma-"

"Save it I already know what you our going to say. _Thats how the system works, right?!_"

He sighed and said "Just stay out of trouble kid."

I curled up my fist as I angrily watch Bill walk away.

I hated how the system worked.

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**YAY, so here is the introduction. Please leave a review :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Lena goes back into the kitchen and starts pulling out plates.

"Stef can you go get the kids and tell them dinners ready."

Stef nods and in less than a minute she is back down stairs with 5 other kids.

I stand off to the side and watch as they talk excitedly and sit down at the table.

There was 3 boys and 2 girls, _Why did they have so many children?_

Besides their own children many foster parents didn't have any other kids, most of the time I was by myself.

Lena motions to me to come sit "Come sit Maisie so we can introduce you to everyone."

I obediently sit down and a plate is put in front of me.

Stef says "Okay guys this is Maisie and she is going to be staying with us for a while."

She points to the oldest boy and says "This is Brandon and he was born in my previous marriage."

She points to the a girl and boy "These two are the twins Jesus and Mariana."

and lastly she points to the last children "finally this is Jude and Callie."

I look around the table and ask "So are they all foster kids besides Brandon?"

Lena shakes her head "No they are all adopted except Callie and we are in the processes of having Callie adopted."

I nodded my head but I was confused. _Why did they adopt all these kids? It wasn't like they were getting anything out of adopting them._

Lena claps her hands and says "Well lets dig in then."

Everyone reaches toward the food in the middle of the table and then I see what we are eating.

Hotdogs.

I HATE hotdogs.

It wasn't like I was being spoiled or anything but hotdogs were something I never wanted to eat after my 5th foster home.

My foster father had starved me saying "This is my food if you want to have food then work."

Only being 7 at the time I tried my hardest to keep the house clean but since he was a smoker used cigarettes would be all over the place. I would have to go days without eating.

One day at school I lost it, the cheap school lunches couldn't make up for the meals I had been deprived of, so I sneaked into the the kitchen and stole a hotdog. I was so hungry that I had to force myself not to shove the whole thing in my mouth.

I didn't end well, one of the lunch ladies had caught me and the next thing I knew they school was calling my foster father telling him about the incident.

I was terrified but he didn't say anything he just asked me how the hotdog tasted.

I sat quietly until he raised his voice yelling the question.

"It was good." I finally answered and the big smile went onto his face before he told me to throw it up.

I gave him a pleading look but it didn't matter he forced my finger into my mouth causing me to throw up what I had eaten only hours before.

But it didn't stop there, the next thing I knew he was demanding that I eat it again.

When I finally did what he asked he looked at me smirking "How did the hotdog taste?'

I was finally removed from his care when he broke my arm when I stole a piece of bread.

I felt my stomach turn as I looked at the hotdogs.

Nausea came over as I chanted to myself not to puke.

"Aren't you going to eat Maisie?"

The whole table went silent as everyone turned to me.

Quickly I came up with a lie. "I'm not really hungry, Bill got me a burger to eat before we came here."

My last meal had been from this morning.

Jesus suddenly turned to Mariana and opened his mouth wide open earning a disgusted look from her.

My stomach flips.

I clench my jaw.

_Don't puke._

Stef said "Knock it off Jesus people are trying to eat."

"May I use the restroom?" I asked quickly, I couldn't hold it in any longer.

Lena points her finger and says "Its that way sweetie."

I quickly follow her finger and turn on the sink before pucking into the toilet.

Tears roll down my cheeks and I wipe my mouth off.

_Pathetic. _

I was getting sick over a stupid hotdog.

Angrily I wipe my tears away and begin to rinse my mouth off in the sink.

_Suck it up_

I wipe another tear that falls down my cheek.

_Its over, you're not there anymore._

* * *

I sit on the couch and watch as Lena places a blanket on the end.

"Tomorrow you will be starting school at Anchor beach with the rest of the kids.

I don't say anything so she continues

"You'll be sleeping in here for the time being okay."

I nod my head and she asks, "Do you have any other clothes to change into?"

I give her a look "No I didn't even bring a bag, does it look like my last foster parents cared?"

I was being rude, i knew this but honestly in a matter of time they will be sending me away.

She sighs "I'm sorry I just don't really know what happened in your last foster home, do you want to talk about it?"

My body froze as I could hear Bill's voice telling me earlier "_We don't need another law suit Maisie so if anyone asks you know what to say."_

Really it was like what not to say.

Luckily Stef comes in and says "Okay the kids have finished bathing so Maisie can take one now."

Lena nodded "Can you see if Mariana has any clothes that can fit Maisie?"

Stef nods and goes back up the stairs.

Lena puts her hand over mine but I quickly pull mine back.

She looks hurt and says "If you ever want to talk you know me and Stef would always be there."

I nod but don't say anything.

_Rule #2 Don't tell them your secrets._

and I don't plan on telling them mine anytime soon.

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** Thank you guys for all the review and follows. :) Please leave a review they motivate me to update sooner.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay so I rated this story T because of language but I promise it's only a little.**

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As chaos surrounds me I can't help but wonder if it is like this every morning.

Jude passes me a cereal box and from upstairs you can hear Jesus yelling at Mariana to get out of the bathroom.

Lena turns to me "Maisie are you okay with eating a ham and cheese sandwich."

I nodded. I wasn't a very picky person I had learned the hard way to eat what had been given to you before it was taken away.

Stef comes in and my whole body becomes tense.

She was wearing a freaking police uniform.

_**Why didn't Bill tell me she was a cop!**_

My eyes go down to my cereal as I try to calm down.

Stef walks towards the stairs and yells "Hurry up kids or your gonna be late to school."

Lena comes to me and passes me an old backpack "Okay until we go shopping to get you some clothes and other stuff you'll have to use some of Mariana's old stuff. I put your lunch in there and your schedule for school."

"Jude"

Jude turns to us and she continues "Show Maisie to her classes okay."

He nodded "Yes mama."

The other kids had made it downstairs and waited for us.

We walked down the driveway and Stef and Lena yell "Have a good day."

* * *

Anchor beach was literally a beach. _This is a school?!_

I watched as kids greeted each other and saw that they all had their own groups.

Jude broke the silence and said "It's a lot to take in huh"

I nodded, "Are you nervous?"

"Nah after moving every 5 months you get used to moving to a new school each time."

Jude looks down at my schedule and turns to a hallway. "So how long have you been in the system?"

"Uhh for about 4 years."

He nods "I was in the system for 6 years before we came here. What happened to your parents?"

I'm shocked by his question. No one had ever asked me such a personal question.

Jude suddenly realized this too and stuttered out "You don't have to answer that if you don't want to."

I hadn't thought of my parents since going into the foster system.

"My mom OD and my dad's in jail. He was a drug dealer."

Of course it was a lie but I didn't tell just anybody what really happened to them.

He became silent after that and I am pretty sure I scared him.

He stopped at a door "Well this is your class. I hope you have a good day."

With that he walked off and the bell ringed.

I sat down in a chair and watched students take their seats.

"You're in my seat."

I turned and stood in front of me was a girl with blonde hair. I could tell by the way she looked at me she was going to get on my nerves.

I smirked and said "I'm sorry but I don't see your name on it"

I had learned how to deal with bratty girls in foster home 8. Thier teenage daughter was the queen of sassiness and in that house I learned how to stand up for myself.

The room grew silent as everyone turned their attention to us.

She flipped her hair back and says "Well it's my seat and you better get out of it."

I opened my mouth to tell her to shut up before I made her but the teacher came in saying "Chloe can you take a seat so I can take role."

She sat in front of me and whispered "You better watch it new girl before I make that ugly face of yours even uglier."

I sighed, _did every school have a mean girl?_

The teacher stood up and said "As you can tell we have a new student today so Maisie can you come in front of the class and introduce yourself."

I grimaced as he pronounced my name wrong.

Chloe scuffed "What kind of name is that?"

I reluctantly got up and walked up to the front of the classroom.

"My name is Maisie Belland and uhh I just moved here."

The class laughed. _Did I say something funny?_

"Well Maisie my name is Timothy and you're going to like it here at Anchor Beach."

I slowly walked over to my desk and trip over something making me fall.

More like someone.

Why didn't I think that Chloe would stick out her foot?

The whole class erupted in laughs and I get up glaring at the blonde girl Chloe.

"Now lets settle down class. Will…"

I tuned his voice out and looked out the window.

_Oh lucky me._

* * *

Lunch couldn't have come fast enough. Hoping to get a empty table to avoid "the new girl awkward situation" I run out to the lunch tables.

"Maisie."

I turn around to the where the voice came from and there stood my old social worker Sonya

Making sure no one was looking I ran towards her wanting to escape from the nightmare of school.

* * *

We laid down on the beach when Sonya turned to me.

"How is the new school?"

So we were playing that game.

Honestly Sonya was never a bad person but she did suck at her social worker job.

She was really young only 23 and just like us she had been a part of the system.

Many of the kids told me she only came back because she had a daughter in the system.

I believed them I mean who would go back in the system anyway?

"What do you want?"

I didn't want to play the game anymore, if she wanted something she better tell me now.

I pull out the ham sandwich Lena made me this morning and give her half.

She takes it and says "The cops came to my house this morning."

I froze "Did they ask about 7?"

Foster home 7, the worst out of all my foster homes.

The rest were pretty bad but this one stood out the most.

I almost died but unlike me 9 other kids were buried 10 feet in the ground.

I survived.

"I didn't tell them anything."

I said this quickly and Sonya looked at me "I know."

I shake my head "but wh-"

"Damn it Maisie things aren't adding up!"

Confused, I completely abandon the thought of eating and put my sandwich down.

"I don't understand."

Sonya sighs "The story you told the police about your last home wasn't adding up so they looked at your folder. They noticed 7 was missing."

Sonya had completely erased 7 from my file the minute I ended up in the hospital.

No one had ever cared enough to actually look at my file.

Silence filled the air until I said "One of my foster moms is a cop."

Sonya sucked in a breath "Is she like.."

She didn't finish the sentence.

Foster home 7 father had been a cop.

"I don't know."

I hug my knees into my chest.

"Maisie you have to promise me you will be careful and run the moment you notice something is off."

I stay quiet. _Stef isn't like 7, right?_

"Maisie"

I nod "I promise."

I turned to her "Will I see you again?"

She shakes her head "No probably not. With the cops on my tail this might look suspicious. You can't tell them anything Maisie, okay?"

"Okay. Will you ever get your daughter back?"

I turned my eyes to the ocean to avoid her eyes.

"Maisie look at me."

I turned and looked at her.

"Nothing and I mean nothing is worth getting back into this crappy system. Don't come back or you'll be stuck like I am. I ruined my chances of getting Alana back."

She wipes away a lone tear that rolls down her cheek.

"I still have nine more years in the system."

She surprises me by pulling me onto her lap.

"Maisie you our extraordinary and don't let anyone tell you less. I already know your a brave girl but you have to stay strong, okay? Be strong Maisie because no one is gonna help you in this cruel world."

* * *

**YAY 2 updates in one week! :) Thank you guys again for the reviews and follows. Please leave a review.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you for all the reviews and I know that Maisie life seems kind of tragic which it kind of is but I promise to put some more happier chapters in the future.**

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I sat in my desk while my journalism teacher gave us a prompt.

I had come back to school after seeing Sonya because even though Chloe had started off my day bad I wasn't going to let her ruin the rest of the day.

I was kind of excited to see Journalism on my schedule unlike my other classes it had no restrictions. I could write what I wanted with no one bothering me.

The teacher looked up from her paper and said, "Okay guys I want you to write about a special moment in your life that you will always keep with you."

Sighing I closed my eyes hoping to come up with a moment.

and to my surprise I did.

**~Flashback~**

I was laying down on the grass and I looked down to my side to see a little girl no older than 2 staring back up at me .

She had a mischievous look in her hazel eyes and her mouth formed into a grin.

"Betja can't catch me mayze."

With that she got up as fast as she could and run off.

Quickly I got up and slowly run after her.

Occasionally she would look back at me with this wide smile and stick her tongue out at me.

She thought she was so funny.

I ran up from behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist.

She screamed as I lifted her off the ground and her legs rapidly kicked in the air.

"Say it Layna."

I began to tickle her stomach and she squealed trying to get away from me.

'NEVR"

I tickled her stomach making tears fall down her face.

"Ok okay you win Mayze."

I plopped onto the grass again and she climbed onto me.

I looked up into the clouds when she suddenly said "Mayze"

I looked at her "Yea Layna."

She wrapped her legs around my stomach clinging onto me like a monkey.

"Will we alwayz be togethr?"

I kissed her on the forehead and hugged her tightly.

"Yes till Forever." I said confidently

"an evr?"

"and ever."

**~End of Flashback~**

"Maisie!"

I turned and the stood Callie at the door way.

"Come on the bell already rang slow poke."

Quickly I grabbed my stuff and ran to her.

We began to walk to the fosters house and I said "So where is the rest of your siblings?'

"Well Mariana is at Dance practice, Jude is at Connors, I think Brandon is at piano practice, and I have no idea where Jesus is."

I nod and she says "So what happened to your face?"

I began to recite the answer Bill wanted me to tell, "Well there was an accident and -"

She gives me a look and I knew she didn't believe a word I said.

I looked down to the pavement not knowing what to say.

She sighs and says "You know I was in the foster system not to long ago. I know what it's like so you don't have to lie to me."

I move my hair behind my ears and say "I'm not supposed to talk about it."

She nods and says "You know I was actually really closed to getting adopted. Jude and I were actually supposed to get adopted together but uhh apparently we don't have the same dad."

I looked up at her surprised at her confession but she doesn't stop there "and you know what just when things couldn't get any worse someone came around and told them their fostering license had expired. They took me to some ladies house and she locked me up in a room. I sat there thinking they weren't coming, I thought they were gonna leave me there."

She had tears in her eyes and I suddenly blurted out "I became their punching bag."

She looked at me confused "What?"

I kicked a rock in front of me embarrassed that I even spoke at all.

"umm my foster parents were very religious I'm not sure I just knew they believed in spirits and they believed that something evil was inside of me. They thought they could beat it out of me."

Callie stays quiet for a while and the silence makes me anxious.

"You can trust them, Lena and Stef. You can tell them."

I shook my head "They won't believe me. In my file Bill put that I got in a fight with some kid at school."

She brings her arm around my shoulder and brings me closer.

Usually I would of pulled away from her embrace but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

"The one thing I've learned about them is that they will be in your corner no matter what. Always remember they are the good guys."

I nodded and said "I don't know if I'm ready to tell them."

She rubbed my arm and said "Well when you are I'll be with you every step of the way."

I looked up and smiled at her, never had someone ever been so kind to me like her.

Suddenly she let go of my arm and said "Somethings wrong"

I looked at the driveway to see what she saw but couldn't point out anything.

"What is it?" I asked confused

"Both Stef and Lena are home."

* * *

I walked in beside Callie with dread in my stomach.

These women had been so kind to me and I already screwed it up somehow.

They both sat on the table and Stef immediately said "Callie can you go upstairs we would like to speak with Maisie."

Callie gave me a squeeze of reassurance before going upstairs.

I stood uncomfortably at their stares when Lena spoke.

"I came to check up on how you were doing at lunch and you weren't there."

I bite my lip nervously suddenly wishing I didn't see Sonya.

"Why weren't you there Maisie?"

I shrugged my shoulder wanting to get this over with.

They both stared at me waiting for an actual answer.

Realization dawned upon me. Stef and Lena weren't like other foster parents, other foster parents would have just gotten straight with the punishment leaving more scars on my body.

I felt guilty, really guilty.

I don't think I ever felt so guilty for doing such a small thing like this before.

Stef said "Sweetie we were worried. We didn't know where you went and that really scared us. Can you please tell us where you went."

"I'm sorry." I had said it so softly that I was afraid that they didn't hear.

A lump formed in my throat as I scrambled to find the words to say.

"I knew….I didn't think…..I just…"

"I'm s-sorry." I said it louder this time but my voice sounded weak.

I was afraid, so afraid that they were going to send me away.

I didn't want to go, not yet. I had seen how they acted at the dinner table and I had longed for that.

I desperately wanted what they had.

Tears filled my eyes and I knew that I couldn't let them fall.

In foster home 3 my foster mother hated when I cried. She often threw me in the closet and I was so afraid that she was never going to let me back out. From that point on I learned to hold back my tears.

It seemed like that rule was thrown out the window and soon tears were rolling down my cheek.

Stef took one step towards me "Maisie"

I ran to the corner of the kitchen. _Not the closet, please anything but the closet._

"I'm sorry. I'll stop being a cry baby just don't leave me in the closet."

I had been so afraid I almost didn't realize I slipped up. _Almost_

My body froze, they weren't supposed to know that.

Lena walked towards me, her hands in the air.

"We're not gonna hurt you Maisie."

"You're lying!" I yelled at her suddenly angry.

They were going to, maybe not physically but emotionally.

They were going to somehow, I just knew it.

"Maisie."

I looked at Stef, "Love we will never ever lie about hurting you."

_Love_. No one had ever called me love before.

"I went to go see S-sonya."

My lip trembled as I saw them look at each other.

They were going to send me away, _Why do I always screw things up?_

Lena questioned "Your old social worker?"

_How did they now Sonya was my old social worker? Did they actually take time to read my file?_

I nodded and they looked at each other.

_Why do I have to ruin everything?_

Gathering up my courage I say "Are you gonna send me away?"

They both looked at me in shock.

Stef asked "Why would we send you away?"

I shrug my shoulders "It's usually how it works."

Lena grabbed my hand and seeing that I didn't pull away Stef grabbed my other hand.

Lena said "I have no idea what happened in your other foster homes but let me tell you something you are not an object. We are not going to send you away because you got in trouble, okay? You are worth so much more than that."

She pulled me into her arms and hugged me.

Shocked I stay still for a while but I fold into the hug.

It felt so nice. It was like a blanket of protection was wrapped around me.

It's not long until I feel Stef wrap her arms around us.

I never felt so safe in my life but I knew that they were going to send me away once they knew about 7.

* * *

**Thank you again for the favorites and the follows. Please leave a review, I hope you liked this chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

It had been two weeks since Bill had left me here and I was having more fun than I had in years.

I bit my lip to try to hold in a giggle as Mariana held up a spoon at Jesus.

He was holding a bowl full of flour in his left hand and his right hand gripped a handful of flour.

"Jesus you better not!"

She tried to look threatening but failed miserably.

He squinted his eyes at her "or what?"

He didn't wait for her answer and threw the handful of flour at her.

Mariana quickly pulled Callie in front of her yelling "Protect me Callie!"

My mouth dropped as Callie sputtered trying to remove the flour from her face.

She threw her apron to the floor "Oh it's on!"

Jesus turned to me "Help me Maisie!"

I grabbed a handful of flour and the other's did the same.

Flour flew into the air and I burst out laughing.

Jesus quickly grabbed a plate trying to shield us from the flour but it provided little protection.

Coming up with an Idea I grabbed the flour bowl and dumped it on Jesus head.

He turned to me, shock written all over his face.

Mariana and Callie burst out laughing and I ran when I heard the doorbell ring.

"I'll get it!"

I could hear Jesus running after me and I pulled open the door with a big smile on my face but it wasn't who I was expecting it to be.

It was Bill and stood behind him was my first social worker Travis.

I stood up straight as a million thoughts ran through my head.

Lena,Stef,Jude and Brandon were supposed to be behind the door not my social workers.

They had left a little while ago to get groceries and in that time we had grown bored. Mariana had suggested they make cookies.

Oh, If only I could go back to the few seconds of fun and stay there forever.

Jesus saw who it was and said "What do you want?"

His body was tense and I knew Bill made him uneasy.

Across the room I could hear Callie voice "Hey why aren't you lettin-"

Her voice went silent when she saw Bill.

Bill straightened up his tie and said "I need to talk to Maisie, now."

I opened the door and let him walk in.

He motioned to me with his hand "Lets talk in the backyard."

I began to follow him when Jesus pulled me back.

"You are not talking to him unless moms are here."

Mariana and Callie nodded in agreement.

Callie added "I don't trust Bill, Jesus is right you need to wait."

I shook my head "Bill is my social worker I can't just tell him I don't want to talk to him."

Jesus stood up "Well I can."

My eyes went wide and Mariana quickly grabbed him "No Jesus you can't do something stupid."

"Who said I w-"

"Jesus I k-"

"I'm not g-"

"Maisie!"

Their argument went silent as soon as Bills voice rang through the house.

Callie picked up her phone and I began to walk outside.

Mariana steps in front of me "Maisie."

I gave her a small smile "I'll be fine."

I started to walk and with every step I grew angry.

Travis and I didn't leave on a good note.

In fact he quit his job because he said and I quote "There is no way anyone is ever going to adopt you."

I hated for the fact that I trusted him but just like everyone else he pulled the rug out from under my feet.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed this at Travis ignoring Bill completely.

"He is here to help me knock some sense into you."

I crossed my arms and turned to Bill "We'll you should leave now because in no way is that ever going to happen."

Bill glared at me saying "We need to know what happened before you came into the foster system."

"Why don't you ask Travis, oh wait he lost his memory."

I was pushing the limit and I knew it very clear. Travis had got in a car accident not too soon after quitting and he lost some part of his memory.

They were eager to know what had lead me getting into the foster system but my fathers lawyers were good so everything was kept private. Even the reason why my father was in jail was unknown to them.

I trusted Travis with all my secrets down to the last one but he betrayed that trust. He was the one that taught me you couldn't trust anybody.

Travis sat down on the on the picnic table and said "I remembered something about you."

My breath hitched afraid of what he would admit.

"You had a sister Layn-"

"Alyssa. Her name was Alyssa, you don't get to call her that."

My anger increased, he doesn't have the right to tell everyone my secrets.

He rubs his temples "You were guilty about something. You said you let her dow-"

"Stop! You don't get to do this not after you left."

Bill stood up and said "We need to know this. The police have found missing piece of your file and started questioning why there was so many holes."

I personally didn't even know Bill, he was just the person who left me at a house but now he was starting to get on my nerves.

"LIE! People are always telling me to lie so why can't you do it for once."

Travis stood up quickly "Your native language is French, you speak french."

He sounded so excited at his findings but I was not.

"STOP IT!"

Bill scolded me saying "Maisie we already told yo-"

"I HATE YOU!" I screamed it so loudly I was sure the other kids heard.

I pushed Travis back and he stumbled a little but he wouldn't stop talking.

"The last time I saw you, you were 6 and you said that you hated me just like that."

With that I snapped and if he was bringing my past up I was bring his up too.

I glared at him "I know why you're here. You're not here to help Bill, no you're here to make amends with Stacy. Well let me tell you something, I'm not Stacy. YOUR DAUGHTER IS DEAD! and you're just upset because you lived with a half ass memory and she died. Let me tell you something, she always said you were a horrible father."

That was harsh but I just wanted him to feel hurt like I did when I was only 6 years old and he dropped me off at the CPS building, never once looking back.

I knew what was coming before it had actually happened.

The way I saw him raise his hand up in the air I just knew what was going to happen, it had happened so many times before.

So when the loud smack filled the air and a pain swearing on my cheek I was not surprised.

"HEY stay away from her!"

Jesus came running out of the backyard with Callie on his tail.

Mariana came to my side asking if I was okay but I couldn't answer her.

I could only watch as Callie and Jesus stood in front of me acting like a shield.

No one had ever protected me before.

"You two need to leave NOW"

Jesus tone made it clear that there was no room for negotiations and Bill turned to me.

"We'll talk soon."

Travis anger had not faded though and soon he was yelling insults just like he used too.

"They're not gonna adopt you, no one ever will. Once they figure out who you really are there going to dump you just like all the rest had."

Bill pulled him back restraining him from getting any closer to me.

I see Jesus curl his fist in anger and he starts to get closer to Travis.

"Jesus." I yelled out hoping to get his attention.

He turned to me. "It's not worth it."

He glared at the two men but I could now see he was resisting the urge to beat Travis up.

Jesus escorted them to the door and opened it.

Once I heard the front door slam I ran.

"MAISIE."

Mariana yell didn't stop me though not until I was locked in the upstairs bathroom I let myself collapse onto the floor.

I silently cried into my knees as the 3 tried to coax me out of the bathroom.

"Maisie please come out." Mariana pleaded.

I didn't answer her.

Callie tried next "Lena and Stef are going to be here any minute. They're going to deal with that guy. They would let him near you, I promise."

"I'm sorry I wouldn't have let you go if I knew they were going to do that."

Jesus answer made me finally speak.

I swallowed my tears and "It's not your fault Jesus."

"Mais-"

A unwanted sob passed my lips. "Just leave me alone."

_Why couldn't they see I wanted to be left alone?_

A yell came from downstairs "Kids we're here, is everyone okay?"

Mariana yelled "We're upstairs mom."

I could hear footsteps racing up the stairs and I closed my eyes.

_Stop crying everything is okay._

I took a breath in.

_It was only a slap, i've gotten worse before._

I took a breath out.

_Everything is fine._

I took another breath in and the tears seemed to stop.

Voices whispered behind the bathroom door and I began to stand up.

_I'm okay._

"Maisie, can you come out?"

It was Lena voice and for a minute I stayed silent trying to compose myself.

I wiped the flour and tears off my face and opened the door.

"What happened?!"

Stef grabbed my chin and turned my face to inspect it.

Resisting the urge to push her away I said, "I'm fine."

Lena grabs my hand and I follow her down stairs.

I sit on the couch and the rest of the family joins me.

Stef hands me an ice pack "Put this on your cheek."

I put it on my cheek and kept quite.

Lena looks at me concerned and says "Will one of you tell me what happened with Bill?"

Deciding I needed to tell them what happened I start forming a answer in my head but before I can say anything Jesus beats me to the punch.

"Some guy was with Bill and he told Maisie he needed to talk to her so she went outside. We heard yelling and the next thing we know the guy is slapping Maisie."

I quickly followed Jesus statement saying "Look it's fine. It's my fault that Travis hit me, I should even had said anything to him."

I avoiding their looks, I felt embarrassed that I had let my anger get the better of me.

Travis would have never hit me if I didn't blow up like I did.

"Kids can you please go upstairs so we can talk to Maisie alone."

They walked out and Lena and Stef sat beside me.

I prepared myself for the yelling.

_Why did you let a dangerous person in our children lives?_

_Why did you have to get Travis so angry?_

_Why are you always making mistakes?!_

When Stef reached toward my hand I flinched.

She looked hurt but she quickly covered it and said "Maisie sweetie can you please look at us."

I lifted up my ocean blue eyes and looked at them.

Their eyes held no anger, to my surprise they held worry and concern.

Lena says "It's not your fault Maisie, what happened is only his fault."

Whenever something happened I was always the person to blame, _Why weren't they blaming me? _

Stef grabbed my hand saying "It's not your fault so stop blaming yourself."

They pulled me to their embrace and I closed my eyes.

I was falling in too deep, I was getting myself to invested in this family.

and the thing is I didn't know how to stop myself.

* * *

**Yay another chapter. I feel this chapter took longer to make, anyway please leave a review and thank you for reading. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay guys I promise you will learn about Maisie background very soon you just have to be a little patience. **

In my 2nd foster the parents had two older boys and they hated me. One day they thought it would be funny to push me into their swimming pool. I remember thrashing around as water filled my lungs and I couldn't breathe.

I was only five and I didn't know how to swim. Luckily the next door neighbor saw me and came to my rescue.

Somedays I still feel like I'm drowning in that very pool except there is no one to save me.

"Maisie?"

I turned to Stef realizing I zoned out.

She looked at me concerned "Are you okay love?"

I nodded and began to eat the rest of my pancake.

The table was silent as we got ready for school.

Lena passed us our lunch's and stopped in front of me.

"Are you sure you want to go to school today? You can always stay home."

I shook my head "No i'm fine."

I was anything but fine. After Travis visit I was plagued with terrible nightmares about 7. I had gotten very little sleep last night but I didn't want to stay here.

The thing was that I was afraid Stef and Lena were going to ask more questions about Travis and I didn't want to talk about it.

Lena looked at me and sighed "Okay go to school before you guys our late."

She passed me my lunch and I shoved it into my backpack before running out the door.

Today was going to be a long day, I could feel it.

* * *

I walked towards Timothys class and hugged my journal close to my chest.

My journalism teacher, Ms. Cogswell, told us that you should always keep a personal journal close to you because you never know when you are going to feel like writing.

When I entered the classroom all the students were huddled around a desk giggling.

Then I noticed it was my desk.

Chloe saw me first and whispered something to the other students. They immediately dispersed and sat in their desks just in time for the bell to ring.

I walked towards my desk and my heart sank to my stomach.

Taped to my desk was a paper and in black thick writing it said

**BEWARE OF DOG**

I grabbed it and walked to the trashcan ripping it up into tiny pieces before throwing it away.

I could feel the tears collect in my eyes but I would refused to let them have the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

Timothy walked into the class and started to teach.

"Okay everyone take your…."

I sat down and opened my notebook and began to write about a princess.

She was loved by all her people and at night she would turn into a mermaid but none of her citizens cared because they loved her for the way she was.

Writing had become my escape.

A tear dropped onto the page.

Oh, how much I wished I could be that princess.

* * *

During science a knock silenced the classroom and I looked up from journal.

I looked up and my heart began to race.

_Boom_

_Boom_

It was Bill.

_Boom_

_Boom_

What did he want?

My teacher, Mrs. Weinberg, turned to me saying "Maisie this gentleman would like to talk to you."

Not trusting my voice I nodded and grabbed my things.

I walked out of the classroom and Bill started to walk so I followed him.

It was silent and for a moment all you could hear was the spring breeze moving the tree branches.

"I finally found you a place to stay."

I stopped walking and stared at Bill with wide eyes. _WHAT?!_

He stuffed his hands into his pockets and continued "It's not as nice as the Fosters house but they are offering you a place to stay until you get emancipated."

Getting emancipated was the plan before I met the Fosters. 14 years old was the minimum age to get emancipated and I thought I was going to do it but things are different now.

"But I like the Fosters-"

Bill sighed "Maisie."

I stood my ground and looked him right in the eye. "And they like me too!"

"You knew this wasn't a forever home."

I bit my lip saying "Well things change and I think they might adop-"

"Maisie!"

I quieted down and looked towards the ground.

"You knew that was never the plan. They said they would only take you in for a couple of days, its already past 2 weeks."

_Okay but only for a couple days. _

I could hear Lena's voice clear as a day in my head and I hated it.

Lena's voice had always been so soft and sweet but now it sounded so bitter and cold in my head.

_Why do I always do this to myself?_

Bill's phone beeped and he pulled it out.

He looked at me and back at the phone before saying "When you get out of school grab your things out of the house so we can leave."

I nodded still trying to process that this was actually happening.

Bill put his phone away and said "I know this sucks Maisie but this will be your last home you will have to leave. After this you'll only have about 4 years before you can get emancipated and you always wanted that."

He turns around and yells out "Don't forget to pack."

I nodded once more and he walked away.

My legs started to respond before my mind and suddenly I was running towards Lena's office.

They froze before I could get close enough to her office. My legs were stuck to the ground like glue had been placed underneath them and suddenly my mind decided to play catch up.

_**Okay but only for a couple days.**_

The voice repeated in my head mocking me.

_They never wanted you. It was always temporary and you knew this!_

Tears filled my eyes and began to spill.

_Stupid girl._

_You should've known. _

_**You should've known.**_

They want Callie not me.

My legs finally started to cooperate and I turned the other direction and started to run as far away from Lena's office as fast as I could.

I was going to leave today and on my terms only.

Not by Bill's

Not by Lena's and Stef's

Not by the State's

MINE.

I knew Bill was going to send me to a group home and I was tired of being the broken hand-me-down toy.

I had always taken care of myself and I didn't need anybody.

All I needed was me,myself, and I.

* * *

**Another chapter finished. Like always thank all of you who followed, favorite and reviewed. Please leave a review...they give me motivation.**


	7. Chapter 7

This wasn't the first time I've run away.

The first I ran away I was being chased.

One time a girl in my 7th foster home said that foster kids will always be different from normal kids.

While they woke up crying about imaginary monsters under their beds our monsters were real.

My monster had a badge and a gun strapped to his hip.

Unlike other kids my monster caught me.

I had just gotten out of the hospital when Sonya said we needed to run.

So we ran, clinging onto each other and hoped he wouldn't catch us.

The flashes of red, white, and blue made my blood run cold and I was afraid.

I remember Sonya frantically pulling me with her, hissing at me to run faster but it wasn't enough.

It wasn't enough to get away from him.

Unlike other kids there was no one to tell me everything was going to be okay.

Because it wasn't going to be okay.

My monster got what he wanted, he filled me with so much fear that I could never talk about the day when 9 kids died.

When my side was in pain and the belt was coming down again I wondered if any of the other 9 children would have done anything different.

It was too late to think about that and I could only scream in agony as Sonya looked at me with terror written all over her face.

My monster was my 7th foster father.

His name was Nathan and he was a cop.

This time was going to be different though.

There was no Nathan this time and I had learned from my mistakes.

I walked into the Fosters house through the garage and set my bag down.

Stef and Lena had gotten me a new backpack just the other day and it wouldn't be fair of me to take what wasn't really mine.

Instead I grabbed Mariana's old backpack and began to fill some can food in it.

I grab some crackers and two bottle waters stuffing them into my bag.

Finally I looked around and sighed.

I really thought this home was going to be different.

I swing my bag on my shoulders and headed to the front door.

My hand reach for the knob and my heart skips a beat.

The knob began to move.

I turned around and ran.

The front door swung open and I frantically pulled the back door open.

_Don't let it be Stef._

_Please let it be Lena._

At least if it was Lena I had a slight chance of getting away. If it was Stef I had no chance at all.

"Maisie?"

I looked back and there stood Stef with a shocked expression.

_Dang it._

Not wanting to waste any more time I ran.

Running was useless. Stef was a cop and she can easily catch me but I didn't give up.

I ran across the backyard towards the fence.

My fingers scrambled to get the latch open but suddenly I feel myself getting yanked backwards.

I would have fallen if a pair of arms didn't catch me.

"Let go of me!"

I try to pry Stef hands off me but I couldn't. I continue to struggling hoping she would let go.

"Let go!"

"Maisie calm down you're going to hurt yourself."

"NO!"

I continue to squirm when I realize Stef wasn't going to let go anytime soon.

I let out a huff and finally accept defeat.

I stopped fighting and looked up at Stef.

She wraps an arm around me and I let her lead me inside.

* * *

I sit down on one of the dining room chairs and watch Stef pace back and forth.

Her eyes don't once turn away from me.

The front door opens and Lena comes in looking panicked.

"What's going on?"

Stef shakes her head and says "I don't know. I come home on my lunch break and it looked like she was going to run away."

They both stare at the old backpack on the floor and I fidget in my seat.

I felt like the bag was burning a hole through the floor.

Stef grabs the bag and turns it over spill everything out.

One of the cans roll off the table and lands next to Lena.

She picks it up and turns to me. "What is this for?"

I shrug and pathetically offer up "A can drive."

Stef angrily slams her palms on the table saying "Oh that's why you were running."

I avoid their looks.

_I don't understand why they are so angry. If I left I would just be one less mouth to feed but then again if I left so would their $157 dollar check._

"We deserve a real answer Maisie."

I cross my arms saying "This wasn't working."

Lena sits next to me and tries to rub my arm.

I stubbornly scoot away from her and she sighs.

"I don't understand, what wasn't working? Is it because of what happened yesterday? Maisie we will protect you from Travis."

I shook my head. "It's not that."

Stef becomes frustrated and says "Then what it is? I thought you were happy here."

I needed to detach myself from them. By tomorrow I would never see them again.

I cross my arms and say "Well you thought wrong."

Stef runs her fingers through her hair. "I ju- I don- I don't understand."

"What isn't there to understand. This wasn't working!"

"Please tell me, did we do something wrong?"

I turned and looked into Lena's brown eyes.

_Big mistake_.

I quickly turned away as if I had been burned. I couldn't look her in the eyes knowing I was hurting her.

When you've been on your own yourself for so long you forget that your actions can hurt other people.

Other people usually didn't care enough to get hurt.

"It wasn't you, it was me. I did something wrong."

Stef bends down in front of me and holds my hand, "What did you do love? I promise we won't get mad."

My eyes widen as I realize I had said that outloud.

Lena rubs circles on my back and I say "I'm sorry, I messed up. I messed up really bad yesterday and now it's all my fault."

Stef tightened her hands around mine. "We told you yesterday that it was Tra-"

"No you don't understand!"

I let out a shaky breath and continued "It's my fault Bill's going to take me away."

Stef stood up straight and Lena froze.

I was afraid I had said something wrong. Maybe Bill was right, maybe this was always supposed to be temporary.

Stef grabs my arms and pulled me up. "What do you mean he's going to take you away?!"

"He said he already found another home for me to stay in and you had told him this was going to be temporary. I can't do this anymore, I'm tired of waiting to get emancipated."

Lena eyes widen "Emancipated?! Don't you have to be 16 to get emancipated?"

I shook my head "The minimum age in California is 14."

Stef let go of my arms and sat down. "Is that why you were running away?"

I nodded and said "I can't wait till I'm 14 to be called an adult. When you're an adult the system has to let you go."

Lena shook her head "Why do you want to be an adult? You're still a child and when you're 14 you'll still be a child."

I groaned in frustration, "No you don't get it. When I'm an adult THIS won't keep happening! Since I was 5 years old I have been in the system and every 5-8 months I have been moved from home to home. This is my 10th foster home, I have been in more homes than more I have been alive! 9 times I have had a door slammed in my face. You know what it feels like? It feels like crap."

Lena stood up suddenly and pointed a finger at me. "Okay Maisie I know you are upset but we do not tolerate that kind of language in our house."

"By tomorrow you won't have to worry about my language, I'll be out of your hair by this afternoon."

I turn to walk away but Stef grabs one of my arms pulling me towards her.

"Hey, hey, hey. Just one minute, did you really think we are going to give up on you that easily."

I avoid her gaze and look at the dried up cheerio on the ground.

"Love, look at me. come on tell me what you're thinking."

I look into Stef eyes and say "It's not your choice anyway. It's not your decision to make so you HAVE to give up on me."

Lena grabs my other arm and says "Well peanut let me tell you something. Stef and I aren't the giving up type so if you really think you're going to get rid of us that easily I'm sorry to burst your bubble but you're wrong."

Stef taps my nose and I giggle at the funny face she pulls.

"While Lena and I have a chat why don't you watch some cartoons."

"Only old people say chat."

Stef squints her eyes at me and I give her an innocent look.

Lena pushes me forward and says "GO!"

I smile and walk to the living room.

_Maybe, this can work._

* * *

**_Please leave a review I love getting them and Thank you for everyone who followed and favorite._**


	8. Chapter 8

**I know Bill seems a little out of character but later you will understand why he did what he did.**

I waited for Bill to show up later in the day. Hours turned into days, and days into a week.

I didn't understand why Bill wasn't coming.

We never spoke of what happened that day and I was starting to get frustrated.

Why am I here? What am I to these people?!

In every house I had been something.

The babysitter.

The maid.

The money.

The cook.

The punching bag.

I didn't understand this family!

I kept thinking something big was going to happen, something terrible. I could feel it in the pit of my stomach and it wasn't going away.

I already knew that Callie was going to live with Robert but something else was bothering me.

I pushed the feeling aside and hopped it would go away.

Sleep didn't come easy.

I tossed and turned and finally gave up on the thought of sleeping altogether.

I quietly got out of bed and got out the room before Callie and Mariana could wake up.

I walked downstairs when I saw the front door close.

My eyes widened, _Was someone in the house? Maybe I should get Stef…_

I opened the window curtain and saw a boy race down the street on a bike.

_Was that Jude?! _

I shook my head and laughed softly to myself. Jude would never sneak out at night, it was probably Jesus.

I opened the fridge looking for a snack when the lights turned on.

"Maisie?"

I cursed myself for getting out of bed and slowly closed the fridge.

"Hey."

I gave Lena a smile and yawned.

"Well I'm going to bed now."

I tried to make a quick get away but her voice stopped me. "Sit down."

I sighed and slowly sat down on one of the kitchen stools.

She sat down next to me saying "So what are you doing up so late?"

My thoughts turned to the boy ridding a bike, he better hope Lena doesn't check up on them.

My hands fiddled with the bottom of my shirt that was too long. "I couldn't sleep so I…."

_What was I doing? I didn't even technically live here and yet I was acting like I did._

She gave me a worried look and said "What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"

I lazily shook my head. "No, I'm just not tired." _**Liar**_.

She smiled at me before grabbing two Mugs.

"Don't tell Stef but I always think Hot Chocolate is the best way to get a person to sleep."

I raised my eyebrow, "Aren't you against giving kids sugar."

She tapped my nose playfully and said "Well, I guess this will be our dirty little secret."

I smiled as she poured the liquid into our mugs and returned to her seat.

A silence came over us as we drank our Hot Chocolate.

It wasn't an awkward one where you fidgeted in your seat. No, it was peaceful almost in a comforting way.

I wish it could stay like this forever. In the few minutes it was fun to play pretend and act like this was our tradition. That Lena was actually my mama.

I quickly shoved the thoughts out of my mind and my eyes turned to the sky.

The night sky was beautiful and all of the stars shined so brightly.

Lena followed my gaze. "Do you like Stars?"

I nodded my head and said "Sometime when I was sad or lonely all I had to do was look up and they would always be there. They made the loneliness a little easier to bare."

She stayed quiet and I continued "It's stupid, just pretend I didn't say anything."

She grabbed my hands and said "No, it's not stupid. I think that's really interesting."

I smiled and rubbed my eye. I suddenly felt really sleepy.

"Well peanut I think it's time for you to go to sleep."

I nodded and got up when footsteps came barreling down the steps.

Stef looked at Lena and said "Something happened with Jude."

My eyes widen, so Jude is the one who snuck out.

"What's wrong? Is he okay?"

Lena tried to go upstairs but Stef stopped her.

"He's at the hospital but they won't tell us more until we get there."

She nodded and turned to me "Maisie go up to your room while we try to figure this out."

I went upstairs and looked back down to see a panicked look on Stef's face.

_Jude better be okay._

* * *

After hearing Jude was fine the day seemed to run by smoothly until Stef decided to bring home a pregnant woman.

Breakfast had never been so silent, I felt like I could basically touch the awkwardness in the room.

Then Ana had to go on telling a story about when Jesus and Mariana were little.

I needed to get out of here. I quickly followed the rest of the kids to avoid the tense room and went into Mariana's room.

"...There gonna be relieved cause they're old, they're not gonna want to raise a child if they don't have to. Trust me, I've got this."

My eyebrows bent in confusion and I said "Who's too old to raise a child?"

Their heads turned to me, "Maisie!"

Mariana pulled me into her room and Jesus shut the door.

"How much did you hear?" Brandon questioned me.

I giggled because I knew something was up.

"Ohhh you guys did something bad."

"Hey, hey." Jesus covered my mouth and Mariana said "Maisie you cannot tell anyone what we said in this room, okay?"

I nodded and they sighed in relief.

"Wait!" Brandon's hand paused at the door knob.

"I won't tell only if you tell me the whole story."

Mariana looked at me in disbelief. "Maisie come on, you want a cookie? We'll get you a cookie."

Brandon joined in saying "We will even get you a donut from that donut place you like."

I scrunched up my eyebrows and pretended I was thinking really hard and said "Nope, you tell me or I'll tell."

I crossed my arms and looked at them definitely.

Jesus threw his hands in the air and said "Fine we will tell you."

Mariana eyes widen "Jesus don-"

"Brandon and Mariana went to go see if our grandparents wanted to keep the baby because Moms didn't want it at first. Now, they want to raise the baby but moms want the baby so it's all really messed up."

My mouth fell open in shock. _Well I wasn't expecting that._

I got on the bed and started jumping.

"You're in trouble! You're in trouble! You're in trouble!"

Jesus grabbed me in mid air and said "We know but stay quiet we don't want the whole house to know."

I nodded saying "So what are you going to do?"

The boys turned to Mariana.

"Well, it's a good thing I actually have a plan."

* * *

**I am so sorry I haven't updated since the foster's season finale. School ended for me this week so I plan on updating regularly, hope you liked this chapter and please leave a review.**


	9. Chapter 9

When I was at Foster home 7 the kids liked to play the block game Jenga. There was really no point of the game because it usually ended before the 10th kid could have a turn.

There was no purpose in the game, all you had to do was pray that the blocks wouldn't go tumbling down. There was no goal, no end result.

It usually ended with 9 kids yelling at the one kids for being a spaz for making the tower break apart.

Life in the Foster house was like a Jenga game.

Life was the tower and we were all the blocks.

First the car crash.**_ Remove one block_**.

Then Ana wants to keep the baby. **_Remove a second block_**.

Lastly, Jesus goes to boarding school. **_Remove a third block._**

How many more blocks would we remove before we all went tumbling down?

I sat down in music class and waited for the bell to ring.

I hated music class.

I wasn't like Brandon or Callie or Mariana.

I didn't play the guitar,

I didn't play the piano or sing.

I couldn't even dance, I swear I have two left feet.

So I usually sat in the back of the class while the teacher watched me anxiously to see what some sort of music ability to come out of me because of my other foster siblings.

Too bad school ended today and our "schools out party" was tomorrow because he would never see any music talent come out of me.

I pulled out my notebook as I watched the teacher walk in signalling class to start.

I would rather run laps in P.E. than be in this class.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a person sit next to me and I looked down so they wouldn't see the shocked look on my face.

Ever since the "BEWARE OF DOG" incident everyone had avoided me like a parasite, so this was new.

I slowly turned my head and there sat next to me was Darcy Bloom.

From what I understood was that she was a straight A student and her nose was in a book as much as I had mine in my journal.

The teacher taped on his podium and said "Okay class let's take a look at the piece _Danny boy_."

Several groans filled the air and Mr. Davis (Our teacher) shook his head "We will have none of that! Just because it's the last day of school doesn't mean you get to slack off, Now let's end this school year with a high note."

I opened my notebook and began at the last page I had written on.

"That drawing looks really good." Darcy pointed at the edge of the journal where I had drawn a monkey balancing on a tightrope.

I nodded aimlessly and held my journal tighter.

She fidgeted in her seat not really knowing what to say when she finally whispered "She's afraid of you, you know?"

Her head pointed in the direction of where Chloe sat.

I closed my notebook and gave her a pointed look.

She rolled her eyes and whispered, "You're the only one who can say no to her. She doesn't like that so she's trying to tear you down, It's not working though. She doesn't scare you."

I shrug my shoulders "So what? I'm not gonna let some bobble head princess boss me around."

Darcy pushes her glasses up and says "You're different, you've got Moxie."

I raised my eyebrow at her "Moxie? Is that even a word?"

She laughed and nodded.

"Tha-"

"Maisie will you please come up to the front of the class and sing the first verse to the song."

My eyes widen and my hands shake as I picked up my unopened folder.

Darcy looks at me and mouths sorry and I walk up to the podium.

Did I mention that I'm afraid of public speaking.

"Come on, let's hear that voice of yours."

My whole body shakes as I open the folder.

Mr. Davis presses the beginning note of the song of the piano and says "Go"

My mouth stays shut as I scan the room.

I had never even heard the song _Danny Boy_ before and maybe if I had actually listened I would know how the song went.

What was so important about this Danny anyway? Who the heck was Danny?

"_Oh, Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling, from glen to glen and down the mountainside; The summer's gone, and all the roses falling. It's you, It's you must go, and I must bide_."

The voice rang through the air and it belonged to Chloe. I watched as several people tried to keep in their laughs so I knew she was out of tune.

Mr. Davis clapped anyway and said "Very good Chloe but I really wanted to hear Maisie sing so let's s-"

RING-RING.

I quickly ran off the podium and went to grab my stuff.

Darcy looked at me and said "Saved by the Bell. You're one lucky girl, Moxie."

I gave Darcy a look as I swung my bag over my shoulder. "Moxie? Really?"

"What can I say, I suck at nicknames."

She looped her arm around my arm and said "Now come one, If we don't hurry we'll miss class and I don't want to get a tardy on the last day of school."

I smiled and it dawned upon me, _Did I just make a friend?_

* * *

**Okay so this is just a filler chapter for right now but things are about to get interesting. Leave a review and tell me what you think.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys so I know it's been awhile but I haven't gotten a chance to get caught up on the latest episodes on the fosters so I have kind of put this off. Anyway today is my birthday so my gift to you guys is a new chapter. :)**

* * *

I held onto my little sister as the screams from downstairs only proceeded to get louder.

"DON'T YOU DO THIS ÉMILIE, DON'T YOU DARE DO THIS!", My father pleaded.

Alyssa looked at me with confused eyes, she was only two at the time and did not have the vocabulary to express what she wanted to say.

"I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE ANTONIE!"

Silence filled the air and I left the solitude of my room.

I slowly made my way downstairs and my mother said softly, "When we left france together, we came to America for a better life bu-"

"This is a better life." My dad grabbed my mom's hand but she pushed him away.

"No it's not! We are swimming in debt, we should have stayed in france."

My dad looked angrily at her and said, "So that's it you're going to leave? What about the girls? They need their mother."

She grabbed the handle on her suitcase and said "They have you, that's all they need."

She turned around but my father grabbed her arm once more, "Don't do this Émilie, please I can't do this alone. I need you, I love you."

My father's voice shook but she tossed him and said "Goodbye Antonie."

_Goodbye? I didn't understand, where was she going?_

"Don't go, please I'm begging you." All his pleas fell deaf upon my mother's ear as she kept walking.

"MOMMY WAIT!"

I raced to the door but my father grabbed me.

"Let her go Mai."

I kicked and pushed and he finally let me go.

"MOMMY!"

I ran her and she stopped walking. She slowly turned to me as a man put her suitcase in the trunk of the car.

She kneeled in front of me and put her hands on the side of my face.

"Where are you going mommy?" I asked her innocently, it would be weeks later when I realized she wasn't coming back.

Her eyes started to look glassy and she said softly, "I'm so sorry Maisie, I hope one day you understand why I did this."

She kissed my forehead and let go of me.

I looked at her confused, _what was happening? Why was she leaving? I only knew one thing: I didn't want her to leave_.

The car started and my eyes widen. _Please don't go mommy._

My Father sobs can be heard from inside the house and the car started to move.

"MOMMY DON'T GO!"

I ran and tried to keep up with the car.

Tears blurred my vision and I fell to the ground.

"MOMMY!"

* * *

I woke up and sat up looking around.

Callie and Mariana were still asleep. Relived, I looked at the clock, 8:48 AM.

I groaned, today was Saturday meaning that today was the "School's out party".

Everyone else in this household wanted to go to this party so Stef and Lena inferred i wanted to go to.

I didn't want to go.

Darcy was the only person who really talked to me so if she didn't go I had no one. _YAY ME!_

I walked downstairs and was met with the smell of coffee.

"Well you're up early peanut."

I nodded to Stef and rubbed my eyes sleepily.

She looked at me with concern and Lena said "Are you excited for the Party tonight?"

I shrugged and they shared a look.

From staying at the fosters so long I had come to learn that Stef and Lena share "the look" often. I was pretty sure it was their own language.

Stef smiled at me and said "Okay so today I'm taking an extra shift at work and the rest of the kids are going to be out of the house so unless you want to go with the other kids you're spending the day with Lena."

I thought about it for a second. Callie had work, Jude was going with Connor, Mariana wanted to spend her day with Isabella and Brandon had to go to his camp thingy. Though Lena wasn't staying home either, she was going to the school.

"I'll go with Lena."

Lena smiled and said "Okay we'll make breakfast and leave in an hour."

* * *

Staying with Lena wasn't so bad. While she worked I sat on the couch coloring or writing but overall it was kind of quiet.

I layed on my stomach with my feet kicking in the air when the door opened.

"Hey Len-" The voice stopped and I looked up from my drawing.

Our principal gave me a nervous smile and I stared back at her.

What was her name? I knew her name! Maddie? Mona? Monte? Yes! It had to be Monte!

I smiled back and she said "Well why don't you go outside for a while so I can talk to your mom."

My smile dropped, "She's not my mom." I snapped.

I grabbed my stuff and walked out of Lena's office before either of them could reply.

My nails dug into my palm as I could feel the ball of anger rattle in my chest.

I couldn't tell if I was angry at what Monte said or if I was angry about my dream I had earlier, maybe I was mad at the way I reacted? I shook my head.

Lena and Stef weren't my mother's. My mother left and everything I had once know about her vanished as quickly as she had.

Once my mother left my father didn't really try to preserve her in my memory, the memory fell through the cracks and I couldn't remember the simple things like how her hugs felt.

The memory of my father wasn't all that good either, one year after she left I was put into foster care. Though the hate and anger made it easier to forget when I didn't want to remember at all.

That was in the past, I didn- I shouldn't hold onto that anger. I needed to keep looking forward not back.

* * *

I opened the door of the foster's home and walked in.

Lena sighed and said, "Maisie I know you don't want to but we need to talk about earli-"

"MAISIE!"

Mariana ran into the room with a big smile on her face and I was glad for the interruption.

She grabbed my arm and said "Sorry Mama but I need to help Maisie get ready for the party today, look at her."

I raised an eyebrow. I was wearing some jeans and a "Rock your socks off" shirt. My hair was in a bun because I didn't feel like brushing it today but besides that I thought I looked okay.

Mariana ignored my look and pulled me to her room.

She sat me down on my bed and began looking through my clothes. Callie walked in and looked at Mariana confused.

"What are you doing?"

She threw a shirt at Callie and shook her head in disappointment, "Don't you have any dresses in here? Take your hair out of that bun so we can curl it or something."

Callie looked at me amused and I said "My choice of clothes isn't approved by Mariana."

She tilted her head and looked me up and down. "What's wrong Mariana? I think she looks cute."

I smiled and put my hands under my chin while tilting my head a little.

"Here! this looks good !" Mariana pulled out a sky blue dress out that I didn't even know I had. "It matches your eyes."

She held it infront of my body and Callie nodded "Yea that actually is cute."

I shook my head "NO WAY! I am not wearing that."

I looked at the destroyed closet and pulled out some light blue shorts and white flower printed shirt.

"That's cute too." Callie offered up.

Mariana narrowed her eyes at me and Callie said "Come on Mari, Are you even wearing a dress?"

She shrugged her shoulders and sighed "Fine but I still think the dress would look better."

They walked out and I quickly changed into my clothes. I pulled the bun out of my sore head and let my hair down.

I walked downstairs and Stef quickly put her hands up. "Woah, you are not going with your hair like that."

I shrugged my shoulders "But I like it like this."

She rolled her eyes "Come with me."

I followed her upstairs but stopped when she entered her and Lena's room.

I had never been allowed to enter any of my foster parents room so I waited out in the hall.

Stef looked out the door and dragged me in "We need to fix your hair, it looks like a birds nest."

I sat down on there bed as Stef attempted to brush my hair.

"Why won't the hair brush move?!"

I let out a giggle as Stef gave up and said "Lena I need your help!"

I tensed up as Lena came in. _Had she told Stef about earlier? Was this their plan so they could talk to me in private? _

"What are you doing?" Lena laughed and she gently pulled the brush out of my wavy/curly hair.

"Her hair is too thick!" Stef complained and she crossed her arms with a pout.

Lena finished brushing my hair and started doing a french braid.

"Done!" She turned me around and smoothed out the fly aways.

"Thank you." I said quietly and with that I rushed out of the room.

* * *

While other people danced around crazily to loud music I sat down next to the quiet beach.

Beside the clashing waves everything was silent.

"Hey Moxie."

I smiled as Darcy sat next to me.

"Why aren't you dancing like the rest of the school?", she questioned

I raised my eyebrow, "I could be asking the same question."

She laughed and said "My parents forced me to come, you?"

I nodded, "Same."

Suddenly She stood up and said "Come on we're going to have fun, we don't need some stupid party."

She pulled me toward the water and I dug my heels in the sand. "No I can't! If Ste-My parents find out I wasn't at the party they will be so mad."

She didn't listen instead pulling me head first into the water.

I resurfaced and threw water back at her.

I threw my head back laughing and all my worries seemed to fade away.

* * *

**_I Hope you liked this chapter and please leave a review. _**


	11. Chapter 11

This was good, this was very good.

Adding another foster kid to the equation meant that I would be off Stef and Lena's radar.

I desperately needed to be off their radar.

We still haven't talked about the whole mother thing and I don't even want to mention how badly father's day went.

It was a temporary solution to have AJ here but as long as it helped me I was fine with having him here.

The word _was. _

The fact that this kid didn't even realize how lucky he was annoyed me down to the core.

AJ really hit a home run with the Foster family, the fact that Mike _**wanted**_ to foster him should have been an eye opener but of course he was blind as a bat. How many people actually met a kid and want to foster them? Zero in my book, they all just wanted something else.

I groaned as someone shook my shoulder.

"Wake up Maisie!"

I rubbed my eye and looked at Mariana annoyed.

She huffed and said "Did you forget what day it is?" She waved a homemade birthday card in the air and I smiled.

I got out of bed and dragged her to Callie's bed.

Mariana jumped onto her bed and we yelled in unison, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

She pulled the money out of the card and it rained down onto Callie.

"What is this?" Callie grabbed a couple of dollars and looked at us confused.

My stomach rumbled and I said "You tell her I am starving, Happy birthday Callie."

I ran downstairs and met with Stef. "She's awake and Mariana is going to take her out all day until the party, I'm sure of it!" I reported.

I didn't tell her that Mariana had planned to take her car shopping.

* * *

It was interesting to see how invested the Fosters were on making this a great party for Callie.

I was excited, I had never done this before and I couldn't wait to see how happy Callie would be once she saw the surprise party.

The party was now in full swing and I could tell Jude was a little anxious about things.

"Do you need any help Jude?"

He looked down at the empty cooler and said "Brandon and Mike brought more drinks, can you get them they're supposed to be inside."

"Fine you want to dance with him?"

"I-.."

I looked inside to see Sophia and Brandon staring out the window.

"Or we could just unplug his phone from the it."

I finally stepped up and said "What are you doing?"

Sophia grabbed the phone from the corner of my eye and Brandon said "It's nothing you need to worry about."

I rolled my eyes and watch them try to discreetly go into the shed.

After waiting a couple minutes I followed them.

"What you're doing is wrong."

Brandon tried to hide the phone behind his back and said "Maisie leave us alone and enjoy the party."

I grabbed the phone from behind his back and waved it in the air.

I glared at him and said angrily, "You think I'm stupid or something. There won't be a party to enjoy if you keep this up. I know you had it out for the guy but you would go as far as stealing his phone."

"Maisie I-"

"Yea I know, keep my mouth shut about this."

I tossed him back the phone and said "If you mess this up for him I'm letting you know I'll be on his side."

I walked out frustrated and went inside.

_AJ wasn't a bad guy, I don't understand why Brandon hates him. Is it because he's a fost-_

"I'm sorry." I was so deep in thought I didn't even realize I bumped into someone.

I shook my head and kept walking when I felt someone grab my wrist.

I froze and as quickly as I could pulled my wrist away in fright. I looked up and the familiar face calmed me down a bit.

"Stef"

She looked at me with worried eyes, "Are you okay?"

I nodded and ran my fingers through my hair, "I'm fine, it's just there is a lot of people here and I just needed some fresh air."

She puts a hand on my forehead and says "Are you sure? You don't feel sick or anything?"

I nodded my head, "I'm fine. I'm just gonna stay in here for a bit."

Stef sighed and said "Okay but if you start to feel bad let me or Lena know, okay?"

"Okay."

I waited for her to leave when suddenly she did something I thought they would never do.

She kissed me on the head.

As Stef walked out my fingers slowly went up my head.

_Was that real?_

I had seen Stef and Lena do it to the other kids but this was different.

I blink, no one in foster care had ever shown me that kind of affection.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you."

My head turned toward the window.

"Happy birthday dear Callie, happy birthday to you!"

I watched as Callie blew out the candles with a smile on her face.

I grabbed a flashlight and fled out the front door.

I need to escape.

The happiness was drowning me, it was suffocating me.

Just like how AJ was a temporary solution, this happiness would only be temporary.

No matter what I can't deny the fact that I so desperately want to be apart of this family but Brandon proved to me today that I will always just be the foster kid.

The foster kid that they will always be so suspicious of, the foster kid causing trouble, the foster kid who you need to protect your family from.

I dragged my feet when a car suddenly pulled up at my side.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

I turn to see AJ sticking his head out the car window.

I shrugged my shoulders and said "I'm just walking around for a bit."

"Stef and Lena are looking for you, Do you realize what time it is?"

I stared down at my feet and Mike called out from the driver side, "Get in, we're taking you home before Stef and Lena have a heart attack."

I stared at the stars and sighed. I got into Mike's car and AJ said "You better apologize before you even speak to them, they were pretty worried."

We pull up to the Foster's house and got out.

Mike called out, "I'll see you guys soon."

Once his car left I sat down on the sidewalk.

I heard AJ sigh and he sat down next to me. "What are you doing? Do you want t-"

"I hate living here."

AJ turned quite and waited for me to continue.

"Do you know why I'm here?"

He shook his head, "No."

"My social worker had no other place to send me so he dumped me here, It's only temporary. I'm never going to get adopted by them. I wish he sent me to a group home."

He looked at me funny, "A group home, everybody knows group homes are the worst."

I sighed, "The thing is before I came here I accepted the fact that I may never get adopted, I was fine with not getting adopted. This place is different than any other place I've been but you know what the worst thing is? Knowing I have to leave because this places gives me so much hope."

I stood up and said "_Hoping for something and losing it hurts worse than never hoping for anything."_

With that I walked away from AJ and went inside the house. As expected Stef and Lena sat in the living room.

"We need to talk."

* * *

**Yay another chapter! Please leave a review and let me know what you guys think.**


	12. Chapter 12

**I'm the worst updater in history, but this weekend I will try to get another update in.**

* * *

Darkness.

You really don't know how scary the darkness can be until all you know is darkness.

But the only thing more worse than the darkness is the fear.

The fear of being unwanted.

The fear of being unloved.

The fear of being forgotten.

and when you're tired of being afraid all that is left is the empty pit of anger boiling under your skin.

You can be wanted.

You can be loved.

You can be remembered!

Every single time people look at the anger before anything else and they fail to notice that underneath all the rage is fear.

Fear is always there.

It's eating me up alive.

"Maisie why don't you describe your week to me."

The voice was low and rough like it was rubbing against sandpaper.

An overweight man in his late 50's sat across from me, he had a pathetic looking wig on to cover up his baldness. In one hand held a pen the other held a notepad.

When I didn't say anything he scribbled down some things and with his chubby fingers he scratched his head.

"How about we talk about some of your favorite things? Lena told me you like the night sky."

I shrugged my shoulders and looked at the clock on the wall.

_You walk around one time and suddenly they throw you in therapy_, I thought as the man wrote more things down.

Why am I here?

Is something wrong with me?

Something was wrong with me. Maybe if I was normal someone would've adopted me already.

My thoughts continued to race as the man continued to ask me ridiculous questions.

I thought only crazy people went to therapy.

_I'm not crazy._

"I can't help you Maisie if you don't talk to me."

I crossed my arms and glared at him. "I don't need your help, I'm not crazy."

He put his hands up and said "No one is calling you crazy."

I looked away from him and he sighed, "Do you like this new home?"

_Please oh please, someone, anyone make me a bird so I can fly far far away._

_If Peter Pan were real maybe I could ask him to take me to Neverland._

The questions kept coming until there was one I couldn't ignore.

"How about Travis? I heard you had an incident with him."

_I don't need this, I'm not crazy!_

I got up but he stood in my way.

"Avoiding the problem is not the solution."

I clenched my jaw, "You don't know me, leave me alone!"

I pushed the man back and he fell onto the desk.

A vase fell to the ground, water and broken glass mixed onto the floor.

I stomped onto the flowers and slammed his door.

_They know you're broken, they're trying to fix you. No one likes broken girls._

_Am I broken?_

I shook my head and walked out into the waiting rooms.

Lena and Stef quickly noticed me and the questions began.

"How was it?"

"Do you like it?"

"Do you want us to be with you next time?"

_Enough!_

I quickly ran out the doors and slammed into someone.

I reached down to pick up the fallen papers when a hand went under my chin and pulled my face upwards.

The touch felt so familiar that I couldn't help but want to turn my head to this person.

A women with brown hair and hazel-greenish eyes stood in front of me and I gasped.

"Momma?", I stammered out in shock. She reached out to hug me but I stumbled back.

This isn't real.

Tears filled her eyes, "Maisie I…."

Her hand went down to stomach, her swollen belly spoke louder than any words she could ever say.

My mouth opened and closed, I had imagined this moment so many times but it seemed like now I had no idea what to say.

"MOMMY!"

A little girl came barreling toward us and a man ran quickly behind her.

If I didn't know any better I would say the little girl was Alyssa, the same golden brown hair shined in the sun but they weren't the same girl.

The man looked at the two of us and spoke, " Émilie what's wrong?"

My heart dropped down to my stomach, I knew this man. It was the same man who drove my mother away from our house.

My mother tried to tuck a piece hair behind my ears but I pushed her away.

_Was it that easy for her to replace us?_

"Aurore, baby let me expla-"

"Maisie we told you that you can not run away like that."

Lena's hand gripped my shoulder and a sense of comfort ran through my body.

Suddenly a hand wrapped around wrist and tore me from her embrace.

"Aurore who is this? Where is your father?"

I pulled away from her and turned to Lena, "Can we go home, please?"

Lena's eyes widened and so did mine. I realized it was the first time I ever called the Foster's house home.

"Maisie Aurore Belland, who is this?!"

I felt small as I vaguely remember my mom yelling at me for drawing on the walls.

My eyes burned as unwanted feelings began to rise up.

"I think we should be asking who you are?"

Stef stood next to me and Lena held me close to her side.

My mother ignored the two women at my side and looked directly at me.

"où est ton père?!" _where is your father?!_

I buried my head into Lena's shoulder and Stef said, "We're leaving."

We turned around but my left hand was gripped by my mother while Lena held onto my other.

"You don't get to take her, She's my daughter!"

"No, I'm not."

My mother looked at me in shock and I continued "I don't know this person."

I ripped her hand off me and she gripped me by the shoulders, "So these two dykes are your mother now?"

_No, I can't trust them because of you._

I couldn't help it, the tears ran down as I remember a little girl desperately wondering why her mother left her.

**_"I'm sorry Maisie, I hope one day you understand why I did this."_**

"I hate you." I whispered quietly under my breath.

"What?" She looked at me confused.

How ironic this is, only a couple of years ago I was the confused one and know the tables have turned.

"I hate you. I hate you! I HATE YOU!" My voice got louder with each word as sobs shook my body.

_I will never understand why you left_.

A hand wrapped around me and I clung onto them knowing it was Stef.

On a normal day I would've protested but I didn't say a single word as Stef started to carry me away.

"She's mine! She'll always be mine!"

Stef started to quietly hum and I didn't even put up a fight when my eyelids started to fall.

_Because of you, I don't know how let them in._

* * *

**Thank you for the all the reviews and I hope you consider reviewing again. :)**

**Guest: I'm so happy you think this is one of the best stories you read, I'll try to update more!**

**Also for the other Guest review Callie is not adopted in this story, I'm trying to connect this story to the TV show but I'm not going to write about each episode. **


	13. Chapter 13

**Yay I updated on time like I said I would! Well sort of- oh well Yay for trying! I don't own the Fosters but I do hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

In one of the many schools I have been to I specifically remember one of the teachers reading _The Wizard of Oz. _

All of the girls in my class wanted to be Dorothy and when they asked me what I wanted to be I replied, "The Wicked Witch."

Dorothy had all these friends: the Scarecrow, the Lion, the Tin man and Glinda, the good witch, but the Wicked Witch had no friends.

Dorothy never asked the Wicked Witch if they could be friends.

Maybe that's why the wicked witch was really mad at Dorothy.

The only thing I knew for sure was that her jealousy made her turn green.

So that is why this morning I stood in front of the mirror for a good 15 minutes inspecting my face. Luckily I didn't spot any green on my skin.

Today Callie was going to get adopted and I was going to be the only foster kid left in the house.

Breakfast was loud, louder than usual at least. Smiles plastered on everyone's faces as they cheered about how they finally did it. I kept quiet and shoved spoonfuls of cereal in my mouth so I would have an excuse not to talk.

I just hope that this day would go by fast.

I had glanced at Callie when the envious thought appeared in my head. _That should be me. _

Through the mirror I watched tears roll down my cheeks.

_Why doesn't anyone want me?_

The unexpected thud of someone knocking on the door made me jump.

"Maisie hurry up! I still need to take a shower!", Brandon's voice called out.

I quickly wiped the tears away and yelled out, "Just a minute!"

My pale blue eyes quickly scanned my face one more time and I sighed in relief to find no green.

_The Wizard of Oz_ was just a silly fairy tale anyway.

The moment I dread the most was when we would enter the courtroom.

Callie looked ready, determined to fight for what she believed in but me? My body was on autopilot and I took slow steps with a smile smacked onto my face.

I felt anything but joy.

I felt numb.

I had stood in this very courtroom before. Once upon a time I stood where Callie was standing before a judge.

In this courtroom my life was changed forever.

~Flashback~

"Antonie Belland for your crimes against the state of California I sentence you to 12 years in prison."

The man in all black lifted the funny looking hammer but my father yelled, "Wait! Wait! Please what will happened to my girls?"

My father turned to my sister and I, we were seated behind him. He wore an orange suit and he had silver cuffs around hands.

_I thought only bad guys went to jail, my daddy wasn't a bad guy!_

The man looked at us sadly and said "Since you have no relatives in America and because we can't find their mother they will be put in the foster system."

Tears filled my father's eyes and kneeled to floor, "Please, I beg you to find their mother! Don't let me lose them."

"I'm sorry there's nothing we can do."

A police man tried to pull my father away but my father struggles against him.

"Maisie be a good girl, take care of your sister. I will come back for you, you understand me?"

The Judge lifts his hammer thing and yells, "Order, order in court!"

My father's hand reaches for us and I hold onto my sister tightly.

"I will find you! I promise you!"

The judge lifts his hammer thing an-

~End of Flashback~

Slam.

I look up as the judge sets down his gavel.

"Callie you are now part of the Adams-Foster family."

Happy smiles fill the courtroom as I slide into the background.

I always thought that the wicked witch and I were very alike.

Her story ends with the Dorothy killing her, I just hope I get a happier ending than that.

* * *

It was 2:46am and I couldn't sleep. Instead I picked at the thread at the bottom of my shirt and stared out the window.

The moon was a waxing crescent tonight, it shined brightly down upon the tree in the backyard.

In the sky I found the Ursa major and the Ursa minor. The great bear and the little bear.

_"You see that my Aurore, that's the great bear and the little bear. They are always near each other." _

_"Mommy what if they lose each other?"_

_"That's the thing, they will always find each other. So if you are sad and lonely just at the sky and even if I'm far away you know we will be looking at the same stars."_

_"You promise?"_

_"I pinky promise."_

My gaze tore away from the stars and under my breath I whispered, "mama"

The word burned my lips and I quickly smacked my hand over them.

I hated my mother because even after all these years she still managed to make me love her and she didn't love me back.

My thoughts went to Lena and the night we shared hot chocolate. I suddenly yearned a hug from her and my feet pattered across the cold floor.

My hand grazed over the doorknob but it quickly fell to my side.

I couldn't do it, I cursed myself for being a coward and clumsily threw my blanket over my head.

_Somewhere out there, beneath the pale moonlight someone's thinking of me and loving me tonight._

I quietly hummed the lullaby softly to myself while my hands clutched onto the blanket.

_Do the Foster's love me because I think- I might…. sometimes I like to imagine that we could be a family._

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**I like to thank everyone for following and favoring this story, it mean so much to me but I really do appreciate reviews so please if you don't mind leave a review.**


	14. Chapter 14

I have come to learn that in life there are moments.

Moments that can leave an everlasting impression in your mind. They can be good moments or bad moments. They could last up to 10 seconds or hours. In the end, it doesn't matter how different they are because they all manage to make you never forget what happened.

As I laid in bed laughter could be heard from downstair, it kind of reminded me of bells ringing during Christmas time. I slowly pulled the blankets off me and escaped the warmth of my bed.

_How can Callie and Mariana sleep through all this noise?_

It wasn't loud obnoxious noise, it was a familiar sound that made me want to smile.I walked down stairs and when the kitchen came into my view I sleepily rubbed my eye.

"Good Morning peanut." Stef kissed the side of Lena's cheek and unwrapped her arms from Lena's waist.

"You're up early." Lena commented as I sat down in a chair.

A lie easily slipped through my teeth, "I'm hungry."

Stef took a sip of coffee and her eyes traveled to Lena's. _Did they figure out I was lying?_ I began to reason with myself, _That's a deluded Idea_. _It's_ _Impossible._

Lena put her hands on my shoulder "Well since Stef is a horrible cook-"

Stef objected quickly,"I beg a differ."

Lena smiled at her and replied, "Honey last time you burned the eggs."

I laughed as Stef pouted and Lena continued, "As I was saying would you like to help me make pancakes?"

My posture straightened up a bit, no one had asked for my help before. I smiled brightly to Lena and nodded my head.

Stef watched as we made the batter and she sprinkled some chocolate chips into the pancake mix. I waited for Lena to scold Stef for giving us too much sugar, but she had no objections.

"You can flip a pancake.", Lena passed me the spatula.

My eyes widen and I shook my head. I quietly replied, "I can't."

This statement was true. I had never made pancakes before, I would only manage to ruin our breakfast.I waited for Lena to grab the spatula out of my hand, but instead she wrapped her hand around mine and smiled. "Then I will help you."

Lena helped me put the spatula under the pancake and we both flipped it over together. A grin slowly made a way to my face.

Loud footsteps raced down the stairs.

"Do you smell pancakes?"

"I hope so I'm starving!"

"I'm so hungry I could eat a pig!"

The noise quieted down as the Jude, Jesus, and Brandon entered the kitchen. It wasn't long until Callie and Mariana came downstairs mumbling about it being too loud.

Stef clapped her hands together, "Come on kids, eat it while it's fresh."

Lena gently pushed me towards the table and said, "I'll finish the rest, go eat some pancakes before they eat it all."

I nodded my head before seating in between Jesus and Jude.

"Hey look at you!", Jesus quickly shoveled down a pancake into his mouth and began to rub my head with his fist. "You've gotten so tall."

I pushed his hand away from my head before blatantly saying, "You saw me yesterday, I'm still the same height."

I placed a pancake onto my plate as Jesus shrugged his shoulders, "I didn't really notice until now."

I looked at Mariana for an explanation but she shrugged her shoulders. Jesus had been back since school ended, didn't he notice sooner?

Stef clapped her hands, "Since this is the last week before school starts, we are going to have a family day!"

I noticed the opposition growing on everyone's face and Mariana quickly made her feelings clear, "Moms I really would love to have this 'family day' but I had planned to out and do some shopping with friends today."

Callie nodded her head in agreement, "I'm gonna hang out with AJ today."

Jesus finally swallowed the rest of his pancakes and quickly added to the rest of excuses, "Me and Jude are going to the skate park. I'm gonna teach him how to ride a skateboard."

Stef's eyes quickly narrowed at Brandon, "You're not going to come up with an excuse to not go to family day?"

Brandon shrugged his shoulders, "I don't see the point."

Stef approved of his actions and shook her finger at the other kids, "Cancel all your plans! This day is mandatory."

Jesus groaned while the other kids looked desperately to Lena.

"Listen to your mom and change into a swimsuit. We're going to the beach today."

The kids quickly brightened from the word beach and I found myself being dragged by Mariana and Callie. I sat on Mariana's bed as she began to pull out some boxes from the back of her closet.

"Moms haven't bought you a swimsuit but you can have one of my old ones." She pulled out a pink and yellow one piece, "What do you think?"

_What is going on?_

"I don't understand. Why are you excited? A minute ago you were groaning at the thought of family day."

Mariana put the swimsuit on my lap, "Well MaiMai usually we go somewhere educational and boring. Last time we went to a Museum, who wants to walk around and learn about people who are dead?"

Callie rolled her eyes, "Mariana is exaggerating, I liked the Museum. I got to take really cool pictures. Oh and don't let me forget my camera!"

Mariana pushed me into the bathroom, "Go change before the boys take it!"

* * *

Everything started off fine. It was just like how it had been with Darcy. We were splashing each other and I was laughing so hard my face was starting to hurt when a big wave came over us. I was unsure of how it happened, I was usually so in control when it came to water. I would only go into water high enough to be between my knees and my hips, but I had failed to notice the water was already reaching above my bellybutton. I was careless and distracted so when the wave hit us I was so unprepared. Losing my balance I was swept with the current and I could feel my chest start to tighten up.

_Don't panic. DON'T PANIC!_

_DON'T PANIC!_

Despite all warnings going off in my head, I couldn't stop the reflex to breathe in. Water was rushing into my nose and the familiar feeling was too overwhelming.

_I can't breathe._

_I CAN'T BREATHE!_

**_~~~Flashback~~~_**

It was the middle of the day, but all I could see was dark blurriness.

_Help!_

Water burned in the back of my throat as I tried to scream for someone. I clawed, limbs thrashing around violently trying to find something to hold on. It was useless, you can't hold onto water. I couldn't tell up from down all I knew I was trapped and the only people who knew it were the ones who pushed me in.

_I don't want to die!_

_I can't breathe!_

Everything was burning like I was on fire.

_I CAN'T BREATHE!_

**_~~~End of flashback~~~_**

"Are you okay?"

I couldn't register who was holding me. All my stupid body could do was cough and trying to gasp for air at the same time.

Suddenly I was being passed to another person's arms and this person was patting me on the back. Whatever they were doing started to help because I could finally breathe softly. My blurry vision started to clear and noticed blonde hair near my face.

_Stef_.

I could feel my body physically start to relax knowing I was safe and once Stef realized that too she loosed her grip on me. Fear gripped my body and I quickly launched my arms around her neck and wrapped my legs around her waist. I guess she was expecting it because she had to take a couple of steps backs.

"Why don't we sit out for a bit, okay?"

I nodded my head in her shoulder and Stef turned to the other kids, "Be careful guys. Watch out for them B."

Through the haziness, I could hear Stef humming something in my ear as we walked onto the shore. It was a nice tone, maybe later I'll ask her what song it is. Turning my head I noticed Lena sitting on a towel looking at us with worried eyes.

"You can put me down now." My cheeks turned red with embarrassment as I realized what I did but if Stef heard me she didn't listen to what I said and only continued forward.

"Is everything okay?", Lena raised her eyebrows and whatever hidden message was in there I'm sure Stef got.

"We're good. We just didn't want to get all pruney."

I nodded my head at Stef's statement and was glad when she decided to sit down. Silence washed over us and I couldn't find it in myself to talk. My throat ached and I could still feel the taste of salt.

Lena grabbed a water bottle and held it out to me, "It will make you feel better."

I gulped down the water and was glad to get rid of the burning sensation.

I knew Lena and Stef were at loss on what to do with me. Ever since what happened at the therapy I think they were hoping I would talk to them about things but I wasn't sure how.

"I'm sorry I ruined Family Day."

Lena mid-froze putting a towel around me and looked me straight in the eye, "You did not ruin anything so don't go saying you did."

"What happened?", Stef looked at me with concern. "You were having so much fun."

I opened my mouth but quickly closed it, "I-"

_They deserve to know something, tell them. _

"I panicked. I thought I was going to drown again."

"Again?" Stef quickly caught on to my words and was looking at me expectantly.

In the corner of my eye, Lena was trying to get Stef to let it go but Stef looked unwilling.

I took a deep breath and said it fastly as I could, "My foster brothers didn't want me around so they pushed me in the pool and I was so scared. I thought I was going..."

I could feel tears filling my eyes and suddenly I felt Stef and Lena push me between them.

"We're here we're not going to let anything happen to you."

"We'll always protect you, love. It's all over, they can't hurt you."

For once I let myself believe that they were telling the truth.

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**I am so glad I got my inspiration back to write this story. After catching up with season 4, everything clicked into place and I was able to get out of my writer's block. This is long over due so I made it up by writing the longest chapter I have ever written for any of my stories. I hope you guys enjoyed it and I thank everyone who has reviewed/followed/favorited. **


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